Memorable TV series finales

Caption'How I Met Your Mother'

Ron P. Jaffe / CBS

After nine long seasons of dating and waiting, Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) reveals both the long and short versions of the story of how he met the mother of his two children in an hour-long finale that aired March 31, 2014. It tied up each of the gang's story lines but delivered two major shockers (salute!). The short version: They come face-to-face at the Farhampton train station as he bows out of Barney and Robin's wedding. The two bonded over their shared history involving the mother's yellow umbrella, which was woven throughout the series. "Funny how sometimes you just find things," the mother (Cristin Milioti) says, revealing that her name is Tracy McConnell, "TM," like Ted Mosby. Yes, they're soul mates.The long version: "See kids," he tells them, "right from the moment I met your mom, I knew I have to love this woman as much as I can, for as long as I can and I can never stop loving her, not even for a second. ... And I carried it with me when she got sick." Yes, the mother gets sick and dies, much to the audience's dismay. But Ted's kids don't buy that he made them listen to the prolonged story just for the sake of story-telling, because their mom is "hardly in the story." No, despite him believing he kept the tale "short and to the point," his daughter tells him that the point of the story "is that you totally, totally, totally have the hots for Aunt Robin," who divorced Barney after three years of marriage. They say he only recounted the story to them so he could find out if they were OK with him asking her out six years after their mother died. They were and he did... with a blue French horn, no less.

After nine long seasons of dating and waiting, Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) reveals both the long and short versions of the story of how he met the mother of his two children in an hour-long finale that aired March 31, 2014. It tied up each of the gang's story lines but delivered two major shockers (salute!). The short version: They come face-to-face at the Farhampton train station as he bows out of Barney and Robin's wedding. The two bonded over their shared history involving the mother's yellow umbrella, which was woven throughout the series. "Funny how sometimes you just find things," the mother (Cristin Milioti) says, revealing that her name is Tracy McConnell, "TM," like Ted Mosby. Yes, they're soul mates.The long version: "See kids," he tells them, "right from the moment I met your mom, I knew I have to love this woman as much as I can, for as long as I can and I can never stop loving her, not even for a second. ... And I carried it with me when she got sick." Yes, the mother gets sick and dies, much to the audience's dismay. But Ted's kids don't buy that he made them listen to the prolonged story just for the sake of story-telling, because their mom is "hardly in the story." No, despite him believing he kept the tale "short and to the point," his daughter tells him that the point of the story "is that you totally, totally, totally have the hots for Aunt Robin," who divorced Barney after three years of marriage. They say he only recounted the story to them so he could find out if they were OK with him asking her out six years after their mother died. They were and he did... with a blue French horn, no less. (Ron P. Jaffe / CBS)

The last episode of "30 Rock" was two finales in one: The show hinged on the ending of fake sketch comedy "TGS with Tracy Jordan." "TGS" employees are moving on to other projects -- Jack finds his happiness in transparent dishwashers, while Liz finds hers in family and Grizz's new sitcom. Other highlights: Jenna, not yet a Broadway star, highjacks a Tony moment, and after much effort, Lutz gets to pick lunch. And the series turns out to be a pitch for Liz's future granddaughter to Kenneth, the ageless head of NBC.

The last episode of "30 Rock" was two finales in one: The show hinged on the ending of fake sketch comedy "TGS with Tracy Jordan." "TGS" employees are moving on to other projects -- Jack finds his happiness in transparent dishwashers, while Liz finds hers in family and Grizz's new sitcom. Other highlights: Jenna, not yet a Broadway star, highjacks a Tony moment, and after much effort, Lutz gets to pick lunch. And the series turns out to be a pitch for Liz's future granddaughter to Kenneth, the ageless head of NBC. (NBC)